ZPZQ 子平真诠 - (1) Discussing Application God 论用神
What is Application God 用神 and how do we use it to establish structure in Bazi
Original Text
八字用神，专求月令，以日干配月令地支，而生克不同，格局分焉。财官印食，此用神之善而顺用之者也；杀伤枭刃，此用神之不善而逆用之者也。当顺则顺，当逆则逆，配合得宜，皆为贵格。
是以善而顺用之，则财喜食神以相生，生官以护财；官喜透财以相生，生印以护官；印喜官杀以相生，劫财以护印；食喜身旺以相生，生财以护食。不善而逆用之，则七杀喜食伤以制伏，忌财印以资扶；伤官喜配印以制伏，生财以化伤；阳刃喜官杀以制伏，忌官杀之俱无；月劫透官以制伏，用财而透食以化劫。此顺逆之大略也。
今人不知专主提纲，然后将四柱干支字字统归月令，以观喜忌。甚至见正官配印，则以为官印双全，与印绶用官者同论；见财透食神，不以为财逢食生，而以为食神生财，与食神生财同论；见偏印透食，不以为泄身之秀，而以为枭神夺食，宜用财制，与食逢枭者同论；见杀逢食制而露印者，不以为去食护杀，而以为杀印相生，与印逢杀者同论。更有杀格逢刃，不以为刃可帮身敌杀，而以为七杀制刃，与阳刃露杀者同论。此皆由于不知月令而妄取用神之故也。
然亦有月令无用神者，将若之何？如木生寅卯，日与月同，本身不可为用，必看四柱有无财官杀食透干会支，另取用神。然终以月令为主，然后寻用，是建禄月劫之格，非用而即用神也。
Translation & Interpretation
In BaZi 八字, the Application God 用神 (Yong Shen) must be determined primarily through the Month Commander 月令 (Yue Ling). By comparing the Day Master 日干 (Ri Gan) with the Earthly Branch 地支 (Di Zhi) of the Month Commander and analyzing their Sheng Ke 生克 (generating and overcoming) relationship, the chart's Structure 格局 (Ge Ju) is identified.
If the 月令 represents one of Wealth 财 (Cai), DO 官 (Guan), DR 印 (Yin), or EG 食 (Shi), then it is a Benevolent Application God 善用神 (Shan Yong Shen) and should be used via Direct Application 顺用 (Shun Yong).
If it is 7K 七杀 (Qi Sha), HO 伤官 (Shang Guan), IR 枭神 (Xiao Shen), or Yang Blade 阳刃 (Yang Ren), it is a Malevolent Application God 不善用神 (Bu Shan Yong Shen), and should be Reverse Application 逆用 (Ni Yong).
When “Direct” 顺 is needed, apply “Direct” 顺；when “Reverse” 逆 is required, use “Reverse” 逆. As long as the combination 配合 is appropriate, all may form Noble Structures 贵格 (Gui Ge).
Thus, for favorable gods:
Wealth 财 favors EG 食神 to generate it, and DO 官 to suppress F/RW 比劫 to protect wealth.
DO 官 likes Wealth 财 to support it and DR 印 to subdue HO 伤官.
DR 印 prefers DO/7K 官杀 to generate it, and F/RW 劫财 to restrain Wealth 财.
EG 食神 favors a strong DM 身旺, and Wealth 财 to restrain IR 枭.
For challenging gods:
7K 七杀 should be controlled by HO/EG 食伤, and avoid Wealth 财 or DR 印 which strengthen Sha.
HO 伤官 should be paired with DR 印 or transformed via Wealth 财.
Yang Blade 阳刃 requires DO/7K 官杀 to suppress it and should not be left unchecked.
F/RW比劫 needs DO 官, or if lacking, then EG/HO 食伤 to dissolve its strength.
These summarize the general approach of “Direct” 顺 and “Reverse” 逆 usage.
Yet modern students don’t understand the importance of the Outline 提纲. They fail to anchor all stems and branches of the Four Pillars to the Month Commander 月令, and thus misjudge Favorable/Unfavorable 喜忌.
For example:
Seeing DO 正官 with DR 印, they wrongly classify it as DO & DR Mutually Completes 官印双全, mistaking it for an DR Utilizing DO Structure 印绶用官格;
Seeing Wealth 财 revealed with EG 食神, they mistake it for EG Producing Wealth 食神生财, when it should be Cai Feng Shi Sheng Wealth Produced by EG 财逢食生;
Seeing IR 偏印 with EG 食神, they mislabel it as Owl God Stealing Food 枭神夺食, instead of EG Showing Off 食神泄秀;
When 7K 七杀 is restrained by EG 食神, and DR 印 appears, they misread it as 7K DR Mutually Engendering 杀印相生, even though the EG Overcoming 7K Structure 食神制杀格 is broken;
Seeing Yang Ren 阳刃 and 7K 杀, they interpret it as 7K Overcoming Ren 七杀制刃, rather than recognizing Yang Ren Supports Self Against Sha 阳刃露杀.
These are all errors arising from not knowing the authority of the 月令 Yue Ling, leading to improper selection of Yong Shen.
What if the 月令 has no usable god? For instance, if a Jia 甲 or Yi 乙 Wood Day Master is born in Yin 寅 or Mao 卯 month, then both Day and Month share the same Wood, and the Self cannot be used as the Application God. In such cases, one must examine whether Wealth 财, DO 官, 7K 杀, EG 食 appear in the other three pillars—either revealed in stems 透干 or gathered in branches 会支—and assign Use accordingly.
However, the selection must still begin from the Month Commander 月令. If the month commander is Jian Lu (F) 建禄 or Yue Jie (RW) 月劫, even though not ideal, they can still form a structure. Therefore, Shen states:
“This is Jian Lu Yue Jie zhi Ge 建禄月劫之格—not a Yong Shen in essence (非用), yet treated as one in function (即用神).”
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